Doro Y'Edhel
Location Eastern Xaria. Surrounding lands (clockwise): Chalter Medrium (N), Uragoth (NE), Quivera (E), Gallura (SE), Talrydam (S), the Veldren Ocean (W), the Vesve Forest (NW) Land The elven homeland is covered in old-growth forest. The elves have for centuries lived in harmony with the forests, tending them as would a gardener. The trees are old, but healthy and robust. The elves retain their connection to the fey realms, and through this linkage they are bonded to the natural world of their home. Of late, a mystical-autumn has come to the forests of Doro Y'Edhel. Those with affinity for the land will recognize that life there is girding itself for a coming winter. Sap moves towards roots, and leaves are amber and gold in the sunlight. Creatures are building stores of food in strong winter shelters. Common Races Elves, Fey Resources The elves live in harmony with the land and woods. This includes the harvesting of resources for the needs of the elves. Elven wood- and metal-work are luxury items across the lands. Culture and works of art are also a commodity traded between elves and men. The elves too have powerful traditions of magik, creating powerful weapons, armor, and tools. These rarely are sold, but are presented as gifts to those whom the elves consider friends. Over the centuries some of these items have entered the markets of Xaria. Past Before the race of humans became civilized creatures, the race of Elves were part of the Fey. The Fey are all creatures that are tied to nature; sprites, pixies, dryads, nymphs, fairies, etc. The stories told amongst the non-elven races say that the elves became too connected to the physical world, and were unable to return to their fey-states. Most elves will avoid the specifics of this topic when speaking with non-elves. The truth of the story has been lost from the memory of most elves who do not study the ancient history of their race. Doro Y'Edhel is only one of the elven communities in Xaria. It is the largest, and has been connected economically, socially, and politically to the kingdoms and lands of men since the Consortium, if not before. In the recent past, Doro Y'Edhel has suffered from attacks of men, monsters and Y’Edhel Moré (Dark Elves, Drow; lit. "Black Elves"). In the winter of 493, the mad King Frederick of Chalter Medrium began a racial-cleansing, driving out or killing all elves within his land. The elven general Kyril Feanor took a small team into Chalter Medrium and assassinated the Mad King. Despite the good this action did for both Chalter Medrium and Doro Y'Edhel, relations have since been strained. Throughout the 480's and 490's, the Y’Edhel Moré were in-league with Dakkor in a on-again off-again march on Doro Y'Edhel. Despite the breadth of Quivera standing between the two nations, the war raged for a decade or more. In 497, the Elven Queen's Consort was killed in battle, a dark day for the elven homeland. In 4??, the Queen's only daughter was killed by brigands while in the wilderness. Her body reportedly was taken by Auberick, Lord of the Forest Fey. (This story is Dale's to tell. In the Warders? order) Only the collapse of Dakkor's faith (and resulting loss of both magik and morale) allowed the war to fade. Present In 504, Queen Theoralia passed into the fey. It became known that she had completed a Fey-binding ritual with her consort, and was therefore remarkable in her ability to outlive him by five years. On her deathbed, knowing that her heir was still missing, she called for a Tel'Quessir Weeruva (translates: "The People Agree"), to ask all elves to gather and decide on who should rise to the throne. The decision of the elven people resulted in no surface elf being raised to the throne, leaving the homeland vulnerable. All elves were asked, if able, to return to Doro Y'Edhel to help defend the forest. Word is starting to spread (507 AY) among the elves (but is most certainly NOT known to any humans), that the fey is closed to elves upon death. This is not an expected development, and the elves in power are particularly concerned, and have commanded a redoubling of the efforts to find the heir. It is suspected that the subsequent years of prolonged drought, followed by rampaging wildfires, is linked to the lack of the Elven Throne being occupied. Capital The elves do not live in cities in the same sense that humans do. To say that Doro Y'Edhel has a capital misses some of the nuance within the elven culture. That said, the elves maintain a collection of meeting halls and other structures that host the government actions of the throne and council when interacting with the other races. Purely internal government action is, again, different than that of human society. This location has been named Dun Y'Estel for the centuries that it has stood. The natural landscape is more representative of elven society than that of a human city of buildings, squares, docks and yards. Rain falls in one place, the streams grow and run to another. Plants needing water grow near the streams, while those that rely on the dry winds find homes where that wind blows. The elves reside in the forests of Doro Y'Edhel distributed like the trees, or the animal residents. A human would not find a 'city' there, by any way they measure that word. Government The government of the elves exists primarily to manage affairs with other the other races. The 'monarch' exists as both spiritual and government leader, but it is former role that plays a stronger part in elven life. Even calling the monarch a spiritual leader is misleading, because most elves do not 'worship' gods in the same way humans do. Instead, the elves recognize the full range of beings, from the powerless insect and plant to the powerful dragons and gods, respecting each for their place in the world. The elven monarch stands as the closest still to the Fey, the bridge between the material world of Xaria and the ancient homeland of the fey creatures the elves once were. The elven High Council is made up of the wisest members of the eldest families in Doro Y'Edhel, and they serve as the primary mechanism of 'foreign relations'. This constant contact with the other races, primarily humans, has changed the Council's perspective somewhat. The group is often more grounded in questions of politics, economics, and conflict than are most elves. This role is seen as both unfortunate and necessary by most elves...most council members have a hard time removing themselves from the role long enough to observe what they have become. Those that do often retire, suggesting their replacement for the council. Most elves are willing to spend great lengths of time creating, deciding, conversing. The council, however, is considered somewhat hasty by elven standards because of the need to maintain relations with the shorter-lived humans. The Council’s meeting chamber, Laurëa Thrond, was created in the early days of the Elven government (date of construction estimated at 896 P.A.) and has retained the same design out of tradition. It is a vast hall with nine (of course) symbolic doors around the perimeter. Each door represents a purpose for approaching the council. The doors are: the Door of Arcanum, the Door of Conflict, the Door of Elders, the Door of Heroes, the Door of Judgment, the Door of Petition, the Door of Tribute, the Door of Wisdom. The main entryway into the Laurëa Thrond is the Door of Conference. Through this door all those who seek the Council enter, as well as all who merely wish to observe. If one seeking the Council has a purpose which suits a specific door, they will enter through another of the eight doors. Military The elves maintain little in the way of a standing army. Instead, most elves are capable of fighting in defense of the forests. There are those who serve as scouts and hunters within Doro Y'Edhel who also maintain watch for enemies. Doro Y'Edhel has a secret weapon that only elves really grasp (written here for PC elves to know and not to share...no humans w/o special circumstances should be aware of this). The Monarch of Doro Y'Edhel is magikally bound to the forest. Any enemy that enters the woods will be known to the monarch, who is able to use the magik of the elves and the fey to confuse the approaching enemy. They will be left stranded, walking in circles, finding no game, no water, until a group of elves can arrive to dispatch them. For this reason, while a Monarch sits in the elven throne, no enemy will ever successfully invade Doro Y'Edhel. There have been times in the past when the Elves have sent an army forth from Doro Y'Edhel to the field of battle. This is a rare occasion, and when it occurs a militia of sorts is raised to create the army. The magikal abilities of elves makes their army a strong force with fewer numbers than most human countries are able to field. Most neighbors have come to understand that the elves are a powerful ally and a dangerous enemy. The human countries, for the most part, are content to be friends to elves, and if not that are at worst unwelcoming of contact. The monsters of Uragoth, however, have long hated the elves, but, knowing that trespassing into the forests of Doro Y'Edhel is suicide, have remained angrily in the Dark Shadow Forest. The elven knights who defend the monarch are called The Order of the Black Rose, and are selected personally by the Elven Royal Family. They are often the very best warriors that Doro Y’Edhel has to offer. The Order of the Black Rose has three directives: To Serve the Elven Royal Family, To Follow the Beliefs of Auberick, and To Protect All Elves in Need. Known Orders The Order of the Black Rose is the elite elven Royal Guard. They are easily identified by a grey tabard with the symbol of a black rose.